Ever since the first atomic weapons were deployed against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, activists have sought a world without nuclear warfare. By nature, nuclear weapons are indiscriminate, causing untold suffering and devastation to civilian populations whether they are a direct target or not. The sheer destructive capability of nuclear weapons and the far-reaching toxic fallout they can produce makes them a premier threat to global security, with the possibility of a limited nuclear exchange causing untold damage and harm to billions of human lives. Though the United Nations only formally recognizes five states as having possession of nuclear arms, it is estimated that between eight and nine states have the capability to deploy nuclear weapons. While many of these countries have shown varying degrees of willingness to move towards nuclear non-proliferation, only China maintains a true “No First Use” policy wherein they renounce the use of nuclear weaponry in any case but defense from a nuclear attack, and only limited bilateral disarmament treaties such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty have been agreed upon to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in global arsenals.
There have been some promising advances towards a nuclear weapon-free world. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons which prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons between ratifying members among other things has been ratified by multiple nuclear powers. However, others have shown reluctance to agree with the treaty and have yet to ratify it. Additionally, there is the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, whereby member states agree to not create new nuclear weapons, and to decommission existing nuclear weapons. However, this agreement has not been ratified by any country currently in possession of nuclear weapons. Individual policies have also furthered the goal of nuclear disarmament. China and India’s “No First Use” policies, South Africa’s total decommissioning of its nuclear capabilities, and the United States’ and Russia’s START agreements are a good step in the right direction and could serve as a model for the committee’s approach to the topic.
In order to further the goal of nuclear disarmament, it is important for the committee to find a solution agreeable to states that currently maintain a nuclear capability. Without their cooperation, efforts towards a world free from the threat of nuclear warfare would be hollow. In doing so, it is important to consider the challenges faced in decommissioning nuclear weaponry, creating incentives for “No First Use” policies, and maintaining balance and deterrence to conventional warfare in a world without the threat of mutually assured destruction. By finding solutions to these challenges, the committee can usher in a new era of peace, one in which the thought of nuclear armageddon is a relic of the past.
Focus Questions:
- How might committing to a “No First Use” policy change global trust and diplomacy between rival nations?
- Who should be responsible for leading nuclear disarmament: governments, the United Nations, or advocacy groups?
- Does your country possess the capability to deploy nuclear weapons, and if so have they taken any steps towards disarmament or implementing “No First Use” policies?
Useful Links
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
https://disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/
Nuclear Threat Institute on the New Start Treaty between the USA and Russia:
https://www.nti.org/education-center/treaties-and-regimes/treaty-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-russian-federation-on-measures-for-the-further-reduction-and-limitation-of-strategic-offensive-arms/
